Printer Bud Hadfield Soared Like an Eagle –Michelson

Bud Hadfield had a penchant for bald eagles, but only for images of those birds that depicted a sense of ferocity. Photographs, paintings, figurines and statues of the majestic eagles adorned his home, office and all around his Northwest Forest Conference Center, located near Houston. Founded by Hadfield—a quick printing franchise pioneer who died April 11 at the age of 87—the complex also houses the International Center for Entrepreneurial Development (ICED), a holding company comprising 563 Kwik Kopy Printing, AWT, The Ink Well, Franklin’s Printing, Kwik Kopy Business Centers, Parcel Plus and Computer Explorers franchise locations in 13 countries.

“The fiercer the look, the better,” related Steve Hammerstein, ICED president and CEO, in describing his boss’ infatuation with eagles. “And that’s basically how he attacked life—with the same fierceness an eagle attacks its prey. He lived a full, complete, exhausting life.”

A consummate entrepreneur, Hadfield printed a newspaper called The Family News (complete with ads he sold in the neighborhood) out of the basement of his parents’ Cranston, RI, home during junior high. But, after Bud’s father died when he was 16, Hadfield admittedly turned rebellious and was expelled from high school for fighting during his senior year. After a series of odd jobs, he joined the Merchant Marines during World War II, followed by a brief career as an amateur boxer. Hadfield eventually relocated to Houston, and failed at nine different business ventures. Undeterred, he acquired an 18×20-foot letterpress shop, with no running water, from a widow for $1,000 in 1967 and renamed it Bud Hadfield Printers. The printing business grew and became successful, which he credited, in part, to him signing up for a Dale Carnegie training course. Hadfield said what he learned made him a better businessman and salesperson, and it also led to him meeting his wife and business partner of 50 years, Mary, when he sold her a course.